Heart's Cry
by Lady Tamara SilverMoon
Summary: A modernized Pride and Prejudice, set in London. Lizzie is a student at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Darcy is a young Shakespeare professor at Oxford, spending time in London. Lizzie's past comes to haunt her in the form of George Wickham.
1. Painful Remembrances

Early morning sunlight streamed through the open window, leaving golden slivers of light on a bed in the center of the room. Birds chirped in the trees outside. An alarm clock beeped out its time in a hideous fashion, and a pale hand reached out from beneath a blue comforter on the bed, fumbling for it. After a few seconds the noise stopped. Slowly, and none too happily, Lizzie Bennet stirred. She mechanically dragged herself off of her bed and stood up with her eyes closed.

"Damn it", she said under her breath. _Why did I let Lydia drag me to that stupid club? She knows that I have work to do, and I can't get it done if she's constantly dragging me out to "work" parties. _"And now I have a killer hangover. Damn it", Lizzie repeated.

Last night had a fuzzy feeling about it…a feeling that Lizzie ignored and attempted to wash away with a long shower. But there was something lurking in the back of her mind. Something happened…what was it? As she rinsed her shampoo down the drain, she realized what it was. Lydia had taken their mother along with her to the fashion industry "work party". Jacqueline Bennet and her daughter Lydia were both forces to deal with on their own. But combined and given champagne in large quantities…they were incorrigible. Both mother and daughter were alike in all qualities: they were both loud, foolish, and wild; they both attended lavish parties and acted like total idiots in front of the very people they tried to impress, and they both embarrassed Lizzie daily in the cruelest ways. As Lizzie tried and failed to remember last night's specific incidents, one face flashed before her mind. It was a man, with dark hair and eyes…and the strangest expression…who was he? Then memory came back to Lizzie in a rush.

It was a chilly and overcast Saturday night in late October. Lizzie had been working at the Waterstone's bookstore near her tiny flat in London, trying to make a little extra money in between her classes at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. As her shift ended, her cell phone rang. It was Lydia, calling her to tell her all in a rush that her manager at the Selfridges' where she worked had told her that there was some "big, fashion-industry party" at a club downtown and that the manager had to drop out at the last minute but still had 3 invitations. Lydia said she thought her, her mother, Lizzie, Jane, and Kitty could all get in. With a sigh that Lizzie knew was pointless, she tried to talk her way out of going, but once Lydia was onto something she would never stop trying.

"Besides, it'll be good for you to get out of your flat and meet some men again. It's been two years, Lizzie", Lydia encouraged her sister.

Lizzie reluctantly agreed, and felt better once she knew that her older and more sensible sister Jane had agreed to go.

Lizzie hurried back to her flat and put on the best dress she could find: a thin-strapped periwinkle goddess style dress and silver sandals. Her wavy dark brown hair was up in a messy bun and she left it that way. She put on no makeup, and soon Jane was outside in her silver sedan to pick Jane up.

"Hey", Jane said, as Lizzie slid into the passenger seat. "I can't believe Lydia coerced me into another of her parties."

"Me neither", Lizzie muttered under her breath.

"Well I suppose it could be fun. We'll look at it with a positive eye", said Jane.

Minutes later they arrived at the club, which was built out over the Thames. Pulsing dance music made the whole pier vibrate. A long line of people snaked away from the door, waiting for the bouncer to let them in. Lydia was, of course, at the front. She showed the bouncer her tickets and somehow managed to make him let in more than were allowed by the tickets. As they entered the club, they were immediately almost blinded by yellow and blue lights, and the music got ten times louder. As her eyes adjusted, Lizzie observed that it was a huge club, teeming with people dressed in the most fashionable clothes around. Everyone seemed wealthy and completely wasted.

_Ugh. Just what I wanted on a Saturday night. To spend time with arrogant fashion and celebrity brats who only care about getting laid, getting high, and getting the next Marc Jacobs dress. I can't stand these people. They never give a damn about a single person other than themselves._

Lizzie rolled her eyes at Jane, then they both walked over to the bar. Lizzie ordered just one drink and took small sips of it as she observed the room. She had just turned around back to the bar when she felt someone tap her shoulder. It was her mother and Lydia. Both were already quite tipsy. Lydia was dragging a horde of her new acquaintances.

"Lizzie and Jane", she beamed. "Meet Caroline Bingley. She's a fashion designer who works with all the fashion houses in Paris. She's fabulously famous, trust me. I know you two are kind of isolated from modern culture, but she's in all the tabs." Jacqueline gave a drunken, un-motherlike giggle.

The person Lydia described was tall and beautiful in a cruel-looking way. Her auburn hair was perfectly straight and smooth, not a strand out of place. Her eyes were dark and her expression was sour. Her dress was very low-cut and a deep red colour. She looked at Lydia as if she were a bug, and then gave a tiny, cold smile to Lizzie and Jane.

In turn Lydia introduced the two other men, both in their late twenties, with her. Charles Bingley, her brother, was apparently a rich lawyer . He had fair features like Jane's, but redder hair. He smiled a kind and warm smile to both of them when introduced. William Darcy, Charles' friend, and described by Lydia as a "madly wealthy" high-profile author and professor. He had dark hair and dark, brooding eyes. He seemed put off by something, or someone, and gave only a short and curt nod. He looked them all over with an ice-cold stare. Was it just Lizzie's imagination, or did his eyes linger on her a moment too long before dropping back to observe the rest of the room?

As Jane and Charles started up and spirited conversation, Lydia began to talk again. "Jane's working as a music teacher at the local school, and Lizzie's studying drama at the Academy." At this second mention of Lizzie, William Darcy's eyes once again met hers and held hers for a second. They both looked away. _What was with him? _Lizzie asked herself._ He came to a party to party, not to look angry and make other feel sorry for ever talking to him, right?_

But just then Caroline cut Lydia off mid-sentence and proclaimed that they were going to the outdoors bar to "have a drink or two". They all turned to leave, a reluctant Charles Bingley giving a last smile to Jane, seeming quite interested in her.

Kitty and Lydia went off to dance with random men on the floor, and Ms.Bennet decided to get champagne and observe the crowd. Jane and Lizzie went outdoors to talk.

As they passed the sound system, they saw Charles Bingley and William Darcy deep in discussion, seemingly unheard. However, Jane and Lizzie caught some of their conversation.

"…Jane is really sweet. She's great. But Darcy, don't be such a taciturn person. There are plenty of beautiful girls here who would love the chance to talk to you if you would let them."

"No, Bingley, I think you truly have the only genuinely pretty girl here. The others are all so common and fake."

"Well that's your choice, I guess. But what about Jane's sister, Lizzie. She's nice-looking enough. And interesting. She's studying Shakespeare in here drama courses. And you are a Shakespeare professor. You'd at least have something to talk about".

"Lizzie? I hadn't really thought about it. She's tolerable, but barely. The whole family seems rather ridiculous, actually. They seem like a family of gold-diggers. Your Jane excluded of course."

At this Lizzie turned and left, her head reeling. _What an arrogant bastard. As if he knows anything about me. He judges me without having spoken a word to me. Arrogant, rich, spiteful, proud…_Triggered by the similarities between Darcy;s words and the words of a man she once knew, her mind snapped back to show her images she never wanted to see again, memories she had tried for two years to repress. A face, brown hair, a man she thought she had loved, and a betrayal…the realization that he had never meant the words he said to her. That he had never meant his love. That her fiancé had betrayed her and left her for a fellow celebrity. The storm of her long-hidden anger came over her and pulled her down. She walked quickly away to the railing and the river overlook. She caught her breath and stared for a long moment into the river. Then she walked slowly towards the bar and proceeded to deliberately and silently get completely drunk. Jane finally found her around 1am and carried her home.

Lizzie finished going over the events in her head and splashed cool water on her face. "Damn it". Tears leaked out from beneath her eyelids.


	2. Rain and Revenge

**Well hello, everybody! Ah, so I updated. Hmm. This chapter is not my best, I must say. it's rather short and abysmally...boring. In my humble opinion. But please, stay tuned, 'cos I've got some great things planned. And I do appreciate constructive criticism in reviews. Be nice, friends, be nice.**

Later that day, when the hangover was beginning to wear off, Lizzie went for run in Hyde Park to clear her sluggish brain. Lizzie had a passion for running and walking-anything to get into nature and out of her tiny flat. Running helped her focus her thoughts and gave her space to live in. Today the gravel was damp beneath her feet, and the trees sparkled with raindrops. After a good half an hour of running, she started to head back in the direction of her house. Not many people were out in the park-it wasn't tourist season yet and the clouds above threatened even more rain, so many Londoners had chosen to stay indoors. But as Lizzie ran along, she saw a few other joggers like herself. It was one such jogger, running the opposite direction, who caught her attention from half a mile off. There was something familiar in his gait and height, but he was too far off. As he approached, she realized with a nasty shock that she did indeed know him. It was the insufferable Mr. Darcy from the night before. For some strange reason, Lizzie was actually embarrassed by her behavior at the club.

_Though, _she thought_, there's no reason for me to be embarrassed. __He's__ the one who should feel sorry-he insulted both me and Jane-my whole family as well, the arrogant cad. _

However, Lizzie couldn't help but remember the way Jane had had to practically carry her out of the club, and she blushed. She put her head down and picked up her pace as he approached, but it was in vain. She knew from his stare that he recognized her. They stopped on the side of the road.

"Lizzy", he nodded at her.

"Will", she replied.

"…How are you then? Er….did you enjoy the party last night?" For some reason Darcy seemed nervous. His words reminded Lizzy of the ass that he had been at the party, and suddenly she was angry again. As always, Lizzy angry meant Lizzie sarcastic.

"Oh yes. I had the most marvelous time, actually. And you? Did you dance with any particularly tolerable ladies? Or was it all just common gold-diggers and the like?" All this is her coldest, most ridiculing tone of voice.

A shocked silence ensued. Lizzie watched Darcy with some satisfaction as the recognition of his own words suck in. Slowly his expression changed from bewilderment, then fear, discomfort, and finally, anger. Lizzie noted with a grim smile that his face had turned the most interesting color of sheet-white possible. Before he had the chance to reply, or to say anything at all, she had left him and was running once again.

As she turned the corner and he passed out of sight, she whispered to herself, "_Though this be madness, yet there is method in't_". Ah, sweet revenge.

Later that evening Lizzie stopped by a coffee shop with her sister Jane.

"Oh, Lizzie," Jane gushed. "I've had such a marvelous day. Well, as I told you, Charles, the one with the fair hair we met last night, took me out to lunch today, and then to the park. It was so lovely. He's just what he ought to be-kind, generous, and he always thinks well of everyone. I do really like him, Lizzie."

"And I believe he genuinely likes you, Jane. That's wonderful."

"Lizzie, have you fully recovered from last night? I mean, what caused that? You haven't gotten completely drunk in a long time now."

Lizzie sighed. "I know Jane. It was…well it was a lot of things. I guess just being there with so many people like…well like _him._ It hurt, seeing the way he lives now, with his wife, and I can't say I miss him…not anymore. But it hurts like hell."

"Lizzie, you should've just enjoyed the party. There's no use getting caught up in your past when you have so much living to do right now. There were lots of guys to go and dance with, any one of them would have died to go to dinner with you. That Darcy man, Will was it? He was staring at you all night, I thought he was going to ask you to da-"

"Jane, no! You can't be serious! He's the worst of them all. Such an arrogant, conceited, prideful man." Lizzie didn't mention that it was his ridiculous viewpoint on her family that had sent her over the edge into her despair.

Jane was shocked. "Why, he seemed perfectly normal to me…a bit standoffish, but then again, maybe he was just shy."

"Oh, Jane, do you never think ill of anybody? He was too proud to even talk directly to us. Anyways, don't worry about me, Jane. I'll be fine. Just try to enjoy your dates with Charles…he seems like a decent bloke for you."

Jane and Lizzy finished their conversation and left, each departing to their own homes.

That night Lizzie tossed and turned, trying to sleep. She would doze off, only to have a nightmare and wake up again. Somewhere in the early hours of the morning, it started to rain again, and her thoughts completely prevented her from catching any sleep. She got up and went to her small windowseat with stacks of her favourite book on it. She sat there in her pajamas and really thought about her past for the first time in a long time…her thoughts carried her away to a happier time, when the whole world seemed like a paradise…

**Well then. Next time I promise I will tell you about Lizzie's mysterious, or not-so-mysterious past. Until then, bon voyage!**


	3. A Summer Rose

**Hello again, everyone. This chapter has taken me a bit longer than usual, so I apologize for the wait. This is Lizzie's past that we've heard so much about. I felt is really adds a lot to her character to know this about her. It's not really following the book, but it'll make sense with later chapters. I chose to write it in Lizzie's POV…I just liked it better that way. Well, I do hope you enjoy!**

_2 Years Ago---_

_It was the summer holidays, and naturally, my friends and I wanted to go somewhere fun. I suggested going to New York and seeing plays all summer, but Charlotte couldn't stand the idea._

_"Come on, Lizzie. We go to theater school. When we go on vacation, we should at least go somewhere we don't have to think about plays and auditions." Charlotte suggested Los Angeles. She had some relatives there who she hadn't seen in awhile, and she also thought the beach scene would be good for all of them. "We pasty-skinned Britons need to get a sunburn every once in awhile just to remind ourselves that there is indeed life outside of the grey of London. We could even get to San Francisco if we're lucky."_

_Somewhat reluctantly, I agreed, partly to make Charlotte shut up and partly because I really had nowhere else to go. If I stayed in my flat in London, my sisters would always be coming up from our childhood home in the suburbs of London to "keep me company", borrow endless amounts of money from me, and generally get in my way. It was my first summer on my own in University level studies and I wanted to do something besides sit around all summer. Plus, I had never been to America, and California seemed like a great place to start._

_A few weeks later, I hopped off the plane, bundled up in my sweater and jeans. I was greeted with a wave of heat. Blinding sunlight bit into my vision. I stopped for a few second to adjust to the heat and light, so sudden after the hours of semi-darkness and cool air on the plane, and the fog in London before._

_Feeling my friends pushing me from behind to get off the plane, I stepped down the staircase, soaking in the pal trees bordering even the edges of the terminal. Walking across the pavement, I enjoyed the sunlight but didn't at that time notice the smog which hung in the air. As I walked towards the bus which would take us to the terminal for our baggage, I didn't realize that these next steps would be some of my most important. The events of the next few weeks would leave a mark on me, for good or for bad, forever…_

_ Charlotte, Clarisse, Diana, Allegra, and I set up some blankets in the lovely living room of Charlotte's cousins' admittedly huge Beverly Hills home, complete with 7 bedrooms and a swimming pool. Originally we had wanted to stay there only for a few days while we searched for a summer-renting apartment. However, Charlotte found out that her cousins were gone to Sonoma wine country in Northern California for the whole summer and had invited them to stay on at their house._

_As we bounced from feather-filled sofa to sofa, I found that I actually was excited to begin our extended sleepover. After so many days and nights of studying, I was truly ready for a break and some fun. As I drove through LA from the airport, I found that it was so totally different from London, and that both scared excited me. The buildings were all low and sprawling, and the sun shone over everything, giving me a hazy, relaxing feeling. We had passed the beach as well on their way from the airport, and what I saw was so entirely different from Brighton or even Cornwall. White sand merged with bright blue ocean sparkling with the white-hot sun's glare and beckoned to me to come and swim and laze her day on the beach with a good book. As I dove into the pool later that night at sunset, still feeling the warmth of the sun's glow on my body, I felt that this summer would be something entirely different. I didn't know what had changed, but I knew that something was coming, and I was deliciously underprepared. For the first time in my life, I was living with spontaneity and ready to taste freedom._

_I did taste freedom that summer. Sweet, delicious freedom. His name was George. He was handsome and beautiful, disconcerting, powerful, controlling, and ridiculously good in bed. He was also an actor in LA looking for his big break. He'd already been in a few small roles in Blockbusters._

_But of course I didn't know all this when first I saw him on Venice beach as I lounged on the sand. All I knew then was that he made me feel weak and I wanted desperately for him to look at me, just look at me. I was, strangely, alone for the first time in a week. My friends had gone up the beach to find ice cream and bring it back. I had opted to stay close to the ocean. I stared at him through the lenses of my dark sunglasses for a few full minutes in awe. Finally, he picked himself up and walked over to my towel on the sand. I pretended to be so preoccupied in reading my book than I hadn't even noticed his shadow over me, but he saw through my act when he pointed out that my book was, indeed, upside down. I blushed._

"_So…any real reason for staring at me for the past 5 minutes? I mean, aside from my gorgeous physique?" He laughed, not unkindly. I blushed even brighter._

"_Ah, I see, she can't talk, therefore she can't tell me subtly she thinks I'm hot, therefore I can't ask her out to dinner tonight. Is that right?"_

_I spluttered like a fool. "I'm perfectly capable of talking! I talk all the time! I..I just…"_

"_Ah, you're a Briton I gather from the accent. Well then, my dear, that perfectly excuses you for being overly uptight when meeting members of the male species. By the way, your pale skin is burning up. Want me to apply some SPF 30?" He smirked in a suggestive manner. _

_I looked at my backside and realized that it was, indeed, brick red and promised hours with the bottle of aloe vera lotion later. I groaned inwardly._

"_So how about that dinner?" He asked. "Meet you back here in an hour and I'll take you somewhere fantastic."_

_At first I was going to refuse. I wonder how that summer might have gone if I had. But something in me called out for adventure at that moment and I accepted his offer._

_My friends were surprised and happy with my luck in finding a summer fling so early on. Allegra lent me a beautiful white sundress to wear, and I found a pair of green earrings made in the real Venice as an extra touch. _

_He met me back at the beach. The sun was just beginning to dip down below the horizon. He took me to a tiny little café right near the beach. I can't even remember what _

_I ate that night. Something about him made everything else fade into the background. He was like a new toy on Christmas morning, and everything he did or said seemed perfect. We finished dinner and talked for hours, me firing a never-ending stream of questions at him, hungry for knowledge of who he was. I learned that he was an actor and had scored a small role in the most recent action movie. He loved to laugh and to party, he loved Hollywood, and he apparently loved me in my dress. He was quite the charmer, and I quickly fell under his spell, as blind and naïve as I could possible be. At the end of the evening, he dropped me off back at my house, ending our date with a small kiss, which was quickly deepening into something more when Charlotte opened the door on us "accidentally" on her way out to "take a midnight swim". He waited for me to get inside the house, and a few moments later I heard the noise of his motor fade into the night._

_The next few weeks were a whirlwind of activity. I barely slowed down long enough to consider my old life. I wrote to Jane only once, and when I did, it was with a struggle to find anything to write about. Jane and I used to talk all the time about everything and nothing, and yet now I could hardly find the right words to describe George. He was fun, he was sexy, he relaxed me, and he seemed like he adored me endlessly. That summer passed by with a flurry of restaurants where we ate, clubs where we danced, and beaches where we eventually made passionate love. I didn't want to spend more than a few hours away from him, because each moment I passed with him, I learned something new, some side if him I'd never seen before. When I thought of the fall, I thought less and less of going back to drama study in London and more of living in L.A. and somehow making money enough to sustain a life with him. Charlotte noticed my addictive behaviour towards him. She only questioned me once however, and when she did I couldn't think of a real answer for her. I told her I was in love with him, and after awhile I had managed to convince myself that I was. It was never really love, but simply a prolonged and powerful lust. However, at the time all I wanted was to spend forever with him, learning about him, talking with him, lying in bed next to him, looking at him. My life was now about him, and if I had to make a few sacrifices to be with him, I was fine with that. _

_In August George asked me to marry him. I'd known him for only 7 weeks, but I immediately told him "Yes". I was deliriously happy for the first time in my life. We set the wedding for the next February. My mother, of course, was absurdly excited. "A daughter married! And at only 19!", she crowed to the members of her circle of friends. _

_In September I was to return to school for a few weeks, just long enough to return my scholarship and take my name out the rosters for classes. I would then return to L.A. to live with George in his apartment. _

_The last few weeks of August were spent in a similar manner as the first: partying, getting drunk, having sex, and planning a future together. However, during that time I saw a side of George I'd never seen before. He was possessive and controlling, more so than he'd ever been before. If I even talked to another man, be it the teenage waiter from a café or a middle-aged man in a bookstore, he would steer me away mid-conversation and give the man a dirty look. He also started trying to control my decisions. I wanted to take classes in L.A. for drama while I auditioned for roles. He was less sure of my talent and wanted me to get a different job. During those weeks we had our first few fights. I was a little worried, but I put it down to wedding jitters. I still thought I loved him, and I still wanted to do anything for him._

_All of that changed on the night of August 22. I was due to leave from LAX airport the next day to go back to London and retrieve my things. I was living with George at that point, but I was spending the evening helping my friends pack, and George was at a night class, or so I thought. I finished helping them pack early and hurried back to the apartment to throw a few things haphazardly into a bag for the next day. When I arrived and entered our bedroom, however, I found George in there, with another woman. At first I hardly even understood what was happening. I stood in the door for a full minute watching them before he noticed and sat up with a shocked expression on his face._

_"Honey…..um….this is Nicolette." He fumbled awkwardly for his pants as he stood up out of the bed…our bed. _

_The woman, a thin, statuesque blonde I vaguely recognized from trashy tabloid magazines, stood up in her black lingerie, smiling coyly and looking between the two of us. I observed the contours of George's naked chest, not failing to notice the dark red lipstick smeared on it. I felt sick looking at them together. _

_"Lizzie, baby…", George tried to say something in his own defense, but I had silently turned on my heel and was walking away with my middle finger stuck up in the air next to my head. I packed my stuff quickly and with no hint of tears. I took it all and left, ignoring Geroge's cries to "please just listen". _

_I don't remember what I did that night. All I remember is that the next morning I boarded a plane to London silently and without a trace of tears on my face. Something inside me had know all along, but it was still such a horrible shock._

_When the school-year started, I threw myself without abandon into my studies. I obtained top marks in everything. George called a few times in the beginning, but soon stopped. I avoided thinking about George, but it was so hard. He'd made it into a major action movie, and his face was plastered all around London-buses, benches, newspapers. I couldn't cry, but the raw pain was too much for me to bear. I saw a psychiatrist once, but he made me uncomfortable. I couldn't face what he wanted me to, and to tell the truth he knew nothing about what I really felt._

_I had gone so long with such a vital addiction, that I needed something new to occupy my mind. To take my mind off of him. I became an anorexic. Within the space of 6 months I lost almost 40 pounds. Losing weight became my new addiction. I stopped talking to my friends, and, eventually, they stopped trying to talk to me. Jane and Charlotte were my exceptions. They alone tried to reach out to me, to help me. One night early March, Jane came over to my house and forced me to look into a mirror and see what I had become. She made me see my skeletal body, and she made me change. I put my trust in her completely, and she saved me from a fate worse than death. _

_However, it took me months, almost two years to recover, and some part of my depression and anorexia was to remain with me forever. I didn't gain back all of the weight I had lost, and there were still moments when the darkness would rise up and flood me again. Only my acting, my music, and my friends could help me at these times._

_I never told my sisters or my parents what had happened with George, because they simply would not understand. Even my father might have trouble sympathizing with me. Another part of me simply did not want my family to se any sort of weakness in me. So, I told them I had realized he and I weren't meant to be, and we'd separated amicably. Nothing could be further from the truth. I still felt the scares of those days, almost two years later, and I was still fragile. It seemed I would never trust another man again._

_**Well, that's it. I chose this for Lizzie's past because I really feel it shows her change from somewhat innocent young woman to more jaded, sarcastic, and proud Lizzie as we know her. This really also gives her reasons for her vehement dislike of Darcy and his "company", aka high society and celebrities. I hope I did not offent anyone with the anorexia and depression bit. However, I put it on because it deepened Lizzie's character in my opinion. Also, I am fighting from anorexia and seeing a psychiatrist for depression at the moment, and it helps me to see that in Lizzie as well.**_

_**I do hope you liked this chapter, and I'll have more Lizzie/Darcy time coming up! **_


	4. Bright Eyes

**Sorry everyone, for the long wait between updates. I've had finals for a few weeks, but now I'm out of school. Yes! I hope you enjoy this next chapter. Just a reminder…the last chapter was in Lizzie's POV, but we're back to 3****rd****-person narration. **

a.

It was about a month later and Lizzie had almost managed to forget about the disastrous events of the party. She'd been living a quiet life, going from classes to her job to her studies at home. Now she was off on Christmas break and didn't quite know what to do with herself.

Jane had been seeing Charles Bingley for the past month all the time, and they both seemed crazy about each other. When Jane wasn't out with him, she was on the phone with him, or talking about him. She sparkled with happiness when she was with him, and Lizzie was incredible happy for her sister. About a week into December Charles and his friends, including Will Darcy, had returned to Oxford, with promises to come back at Christmas. Jane used the time to move her things into the spare room in Lizzie's flat. Jane's rent on her own apartment had run out, and they though it would be more economical for both if they shared. They were going to be roommates for the first time since their teen years, and both were excited. Jane and Lizzie were not only sisters, but best friends, though they were opposites. Lizzie was quick-witted, sarcastic, and strong-willed, while Jane's nature was inclined to be more gentle and forgiving, and her intellect showed itself in quieter ways than Lizzie's. Jane was studying to be a music teacher, while Lizzie hoped to work in the London Globe or at another Shakespeare company's theater. However, Shakespeare was Lizzie's major at the Academy, but she also enjoyed performing modern plays as well as ancient Greek dramas. Lizzie loved music and loved to sing, but as a child her parents had never had the money for piano or voice training. So, while Lizzie had the talent, she didn't have the skills. Though Jane and Lizzie were entirely different, they were best friends because of the fact that they had grown up together as the only mildly sane women in the household. Jane had spent her teenage years confiding her secret crushes to the skeptical Lizzie, and they had bonded as mischievous ten-year-olds over the almost daily ritual of hiding some object of Kitty or Lydia's prized clothing and seeing how long it would take for them to notice and complain.

So it seemed fitting that they would be roommates as university students. However, what Lizzie was _not _prepared for was Jane spending nearly every spare second on the phone with The Beloved, a.k.a. Charles. For the first time in her life, Jane went over her minutes limit on her cellphone and had to pay extra for more. When Lizzie saw them together, she noticed that Charles had an inability to take his eyes off Jane, and it was cute. Lizzie was finding it all a little funny, if a tad annoying.She had never seen Jane so happy with man in her life. However, what Lizzie did not enjoy so much was seeing Will Darcy nearly every time there was some sort of group event or lunch that Charlie attended. At every single social occasion, Darcy spent the whole time lurking in a corner and not speaking. The few times Lizzie had talked to him, it had been forced by some well-meaning friend or other. Lizzie found him awkward to talk to, and just as rude as the first night she had met him. She had overheard Caroline complaining to Will about Lizzie, everything from her looks to her family. Once again, Lizzie heard the term "gold-digger" used, and it infuriated her. If she had sensed something seemingly human in him in the way he seemed apologetic and awkward the night they had met jogging, she was sure now that it had to have been her imagination and nothing else. With each mean remark Caroline made, he said absolutely nothing in the defense of his best friends' girlfriend or her family. He simply listened to Caroline with a bored face and nodded along. He also had said nothing in the way of an apology to Lizzie for his words that first night, and she was in no mood to forgive him for any of his degrading and mean-spirited remarks. Though Lizzie was glad that Charlie and Jane were so happy together, she was relieved when he left, because it meant that she would spend less time in the hateful Darcy's company, at least until Christmas season, when they would return to London from Oxford…

b.

The Lucas family Christmas ball was well-reputed in London high society to be the hottest party of the Christmas season. Charlotte Lucas's father had hit it rich in the stock-market trade, back when he lived in New York. Her mother was a famous abstract sculptor. Every year they put on a themed ball, attended by some of the most important and famous people in the entertainment, art, and business industries. Because Charlotte and Lizzie were such good friends, Lizzie and her family all received invitations, and this year was no different.

A week before the ball, Lizzie was awakened rudely by the telephone at 7 am. She picked it up and croaked out a groggy "Hello.".

"Lizzieeeeeeeeeeeee!", squealed a high-pitched, excited, and decidedly annoying voice in her ear. "Have you got it??? The invitation? I'm so excited, oh, I know just who I'm going to be-"

"Lydia? Lydia, wait, what the hell are you talking about?" Lizzie never enjoyed being woken up before 9 on breaks.

"Silly! The masquerade ball the Lucas' are putting on this year."

"Fuck, Lydia, you called me at 7am to tell me about this? Now I have to decide what to be and what to wear. Ugh, way to ruin Christmas break." But Lizzie was smiling. Charlotte Lucas' parents were really cool people, and their Christmas party was one of the few she enjoyed.

Lydia' exuberance was quickly turning to annoyance, but she continued with her line of conversation, namely clothes. "Well, I'm going as '30's flapper girl. I just wanted to know if I should go with a green or purple costume. And what about a feather in my hair? I'm already doing vamp eyes, but what about-"

"Lydia?"

"Hmm?"

"Shut up and let me sleep…"

c.

After what seemed like hours of preparation, Jane and Lizzie were finally ready to go. Jane had chosen to dress as Euterpe, the muse of music. She wore a long, flowing cream Grecian-style dress. Her gorgeous burnt golden hair was swept up and held in place with a simple golden and green clasp, and she wore a green sash around her waist. In her hands she held the simple antique lute which had been a gift from their father.

Lizzie, always the lover of medieval stories, had dressed as the Lady of Shallott. She wore a medieval-style corseted dusky-blue dress with a round neck, which was embroidered with silver. She twisted her hair back elegantly and simply from her face, and from there let it fall wavy and untamed to her waist. Her eyes stood out in her pale face. She had lined them in deep blues and greys, and had drawn a single tear from her left eye, which she knew would not be visible until she removed her mask, but she kept on because she thought it completed the costume.

Both Lizzie and Jane were ready at exactly 7:30 when Charles' car pulled up and honked, which was a first for the usually late Lizzie. As they both donned their Venetian-style masks, Lizzie looked out the window at the Charles'. As she saw not one, but two heads in the car, one of them dark-haired, she groaned inwardly, and prepared herself for an un-fun car ride, and an even worse evening. Apparently Will Darcy and Company had been invited and wanted to carpool.

Jane and Lizzie walked out to the car. Jane got into the backseat, and Lizzie was about to follow, when Will, dressed simply in Dickensian costume, got out of the passenger seat and held the door open for her, indicating that she should get in the front. Lizzie was temporarily disoriented by this strange and uncommon display of chivalry and had no words for him, but rather what she supposed was a rather unattractive stare. He gazed at her intensely for a few moments, and then sat down in the back. Confused, Lizzie got into the front seat next to Charlie, dressed as a pirate, who smiled a bright smile at both her and Jane.

"You look beautiful, Jane. You too Lizzie." But it was Jane on whom his eyes lingered. Jane shyly smiled back at him.

As they drove towards the huge Kensington Georgian mansion where the party was being held, Lizzie, Jane, and Charlie chattered on about people, university life, and their jobs. Will Darcy commented a few times, but generally remained silent.

When they reached the house, the drove up the circular drive and were greeted by a fleet of valet parkers. They got and saw that at the beautifully decorated and lighted mansion, the party was in full swing. Tinkling laughter and music could be heard above the noise of engines and greetings of friends.

They walked up the steps and into the house. Maids took their coats in the foyer and beckoned them into an antique-looking ballroom with wide, high, curtain-draped old windows and beautiful furnishings. Clearly, the Lucas' had outdone themselves with the lavish Christmas decorations and the tables of sumptuous foods this year. The music was a mix between modern pop and rock, club dancing music, and older music around the world. Lizzie had a few moments to reflect that even though Darcy was at the party, she might yet have fun, before she heard self-satisfied woman's voice cry out "Will!". It seemed that Caroline had decided to show up, dragging her bored-looking sister and brother-in-law along as well.

Caroline immediately draped herself over the disgruntled and annoyed Darcy, chattering away nonstop about the party and the society and all the celebrities attending. She was dressed unoriginally as a mermaid, with a sequin-covered, revealing aqua dress, glittering eyeshadow practically caked on her eyes, and 4-inch stilettos.

"Will, I'm so glad you could make it. I've been waiting for you. You _must_ dance with me tonight, Will. Oh my God, you look so hot in that suit…" As she talked, Will was attempting to disentangle himself from her arms and make an escape.

"Caroline's been flirting with Will since they were together in grade-school You'd think she'd get the message and move on, right?", Charlie said with a laugh. "But her attempts never cease to amuse me and annoy Will."

Caroline finished her rant and looked over at everyone else.

"Oh hello", she said, her smirk turning into a frown. "I see the Bennets have decided to grace us with their attendance. I wonder how _you_ two got invited". Lizzie heard her whisper in Will's ear in what she thought was a sexy voice, "_Did they have to beg?_"

Lizzie's temper flared at the insinuation. "Actually, Caroline, I've been a good friend of Charlotte Lucas' since I was 15."

Caroline could think of no response. Instead she turned to Will and begged him to come and "have a drink with me." He politely declined at which she sauntered away, looking back over her shoulder flirtatiously at Will one final time.

A new song began, with a good beat for dancing, and Charles whisked Jane away onto the dance floor, leaving Will and Lizzie alone together for the first time since their awkward conversation in Hyde Park. Will was thinking to himself that Lizzie looked quite a bit more beautiful than she had the night of their first meeting, when she had gotten improperly drunk and had had to be carried out by her sister. He also noticed that her eyes shone brightly from behind her mask, flashing with brilliance whenever she became emotional.

A few moments of silence ensued before Lizzie found the awkwardness unbearable and decided to try to make polite conversation with this annoying man.

"Do you dance, Mr. Darcy?"

He wondered why she was asking. "Not if I can help it."

"Do you enjoy your job? I understand you teach Shakespeare courses at Oxford."

A simple "yes" was all that she got in return.

"I don't know if Charles told you, but I'm majoring in Shakespeare studies at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts."

"Yes, he did tell me."

"Perhaps that would give us something to talk about. What do you think of the idea of modernizing the Merchant of Venice like the production in New York City?"

For only the second time that evening he looked straight at her with his disconcertingly beautiful dark eyes. "Lizzie, I must ask why you are so arduously attempting to make conversation with me when you and I clearly do not like one another."

Lizzie could think of nothing to say for a few seconds as she stared into his eyes. She didn't know the answer to his question. All she knew was that while he was annoying, rude, and unsociable, he intrigued her, and she wanted to know more about him.

Jane and Charles came back from the dance floor flushed from the fast pace of the music and saved Lizzie from answering. She looked away from Darcy but she could still feel his questioning eyes on her. She had no answer for him…for the moment.

Lizzie spent most of the evening laughing with her friends. After William Darcy's snub earlier in the evening, she was in the mood to have fun with her friends. She danced with a few guys, but wasn't really interested in any of them. To her own annoyance, she found herself looking back over to the edge of the dance floor, to one person in particular. She tried to tell herself to stop. _You hate him, remember? He insulted your family, he snubbed you…_ She told herself that he was all wrong for her, but she couldn't stop herself from noticing the depth of his eyes, or the fact that he seemed to be looking at her as well. She also couldn't help but remember the strange embarrassment she felt around him. She normally was so free with guys and had no problems talking with them, but around Will she got nervous and found it much harder to articulate. She put it off to her intense hatred of him…but was there something more?

Later that evening, Caroline came up beside Mr. Darcy once again, after several unsuccessful attempts at making him ask her to dance.

"Will, Will, Will. The Bennett clan certainly is acting up this evening. Did you _see _how drunk their mother was? And Kitty and Lydia Bennett…_so _ridiculously dressed, wouldn't you agree?"

"Yes, Caroline, I would. Jacqueline Bennett, the mother, seems to have no will to control her younger girls, Mary included. And I don't like the way she seems to be so set on a wedding between Charles and Jane. Jane and her sister Elizabeth are both sweet, but the rest of the family…not so much. Charles has to watch out for people who only want his money."

"Lizzie? You can't be serious, the girl's a walking imbecile. _So _silly, the way she's been laughing and dancing with her friends. There she goes again, that loud, annoying laugh."

Halfway across the room, Lizzie was laughing hard at a joke Charlotte had made. Her laugh rang out like bells across the room.

Darcy was silent in response to Caroline's remark, observing Lizzie's smile and eyes.

"Will, what ever _can _you be pondering so quietly?" Unfortunately, Caroline had become highly flirtatious again.

"I was contemplating the beauty which a pair of beautiful eyes can bring to a fine, expressive face", said William Darcy in reply.

"Oh? And whose eyes might those be?" Caroline obviously expected to hear her own name in response.

"Lizzie Bennett's."

At home again at the end of the evening, Lizzie found that she could not sleep. The moon shone bright over the Thames, and all she could think about was one person, a man whose personality seemed to have so many layers. A man whom Lizzie, against her will, realized she did not know at all, and wanted to understand better.

**Okies, hope you liked this chapter. More, Darcy/ Lizzie conversations coming up. Also, please do review. I read every review and take into account all of your constructive criticism. I love hearing from all of you!**


	5. Leaving London

**Ok. First off I'd like to thank all the reviewers. You guys ROCK. I'm very sorry this chapter is so very short. It was originally meant to include all of Lizzie's time at Netherfield, but I just didn't have the time to write all of that. I'm going on vacation for a little over a week, and I thought I had to post something before I left. I'll work on the time at Netherfield while I'm traveling to get it online ASAP. I hope you enjoy this at least. It's a nice insight into Lizzie and Jane's friendship, at least so I think. **

"Can you believe it, Lizzie? It's so very sweet of him! This trip is something they normally do just with family and close friends, and it's so nice of them to invite me. I didn't think Caroline Bingley liked me all that much when I met her at the party, but she must have seen something in me, to have sent me that nice invitation. Or maybe Charles spoke to her on my account. Oh, and can you believe we're staying at Netherfield? That's such a lovely resort."

Jane had been invited by Charles and Caroline Bingley to go on a ski trip with them as well as Will Darcy and Louisa, Caroline's friend, in Switzerland for New Years'. Surprisingly, the normally travel-shy Jane had accepted happily and was now packing up her warmest gear. Apparently Charles was going to teach Jane how to ski.

"So does this make you two officially a couple?', Lizzie teased her sister. Though they'd been going out for over a month steadily and talking all the time, Jane was so shy that she never liked to admit the nature of their relationship.

"Well, I mean…", Jane hesitated, as always afraid of showing her real feelings, hiding her passions beneath a kind and reserved exterior.

"Oh come one, Jane. You seem perfect for each other. It's like…I don't know, it's like you two were made to be with each other", said Lizzie in a rare moment of sincerity. "Maybe you were. Maybe you were separated at birth", she joked, back to the witty humor that dominated her personality. "You know there's that Ancient Greek theory that at birth, one complete person divides into two humans, and those humans are soul mates, but they're separated, and they spend the rest of their life looking for each other. When they do find each other, they're said to become one again, one complete person. Why, I do believe you've found your soul mate, Jane."

Jane and Lizzie both laughed, however Lizzie was silent for a few moments afterwards, thinking of a dark face with brooding eyes. The look on his face in her memory, the sound of his resonant voice from the few times she'd heard him speak, the intensity of his gaze as he'd stared at her from across a room-all these things sent a shiver down her spine as she momentarily pondered his hidden depths. She stared out the window at the steadily pouring sleet, but for some reason she couldn't get his image out of her head. _Why is he so captivating to me? I certainly don't find anything likable in him, but for some reason I want to know him and I need desperately for him to understand me. But why should I care so deeply about proving myself to him when he has insulted me? _Lizzie shook away the feeling and resumed helping Jane pack.

"What do I bring, Lizzie? You know as well as I do that I've never even been to the mountains."

As children they'd never really had enough money to go on a ski trip, and the only snow they'd seen had been the light coverings on the ground each winter. However, the winter of her last year in school before University, a then-boyfriend had taken her with his family skiing in the Alps. Lizzie had fallen in love with skiing and, most importantly, with the barren beauty of the mountains. She'd spent her meager savings on a few other ski trips of her own. Each time she'd invited Jane along, but Jane wasn't one for spontaneous living, and preferred to wisely save her money. Charlotte sometimes came along but really preferred warmer, more tropical climates. So it came to Jane's first ski trip, and she had a convenient excuse to spend time with Charles being taught how to ski. Or at least that was how Lizzie viewed it.

"Well, the most important thing to remember is layers. You can be very cold or way too bundled up, depending on the weather. Bring a fleece and a parka."

Their packing continued late into the night. The next morning, Jane was picked up bright and early by an overly-caffeinated Charles. As they left, Lizzie gave a small sigh. Lizzie was used to having Jane around. Though Lizzie was now independent and strong-willed, there had been a time when Jane was really the only thing that brought Lizzie through to the next day. In her recovery, Jane had been Lizzie's guide out of her own personal hell. Since that time, there'd been a bond between them-that of the deepest of friendships. Jane worried over Lizzie constantly, watching to make sure she was happy and healthy. In turn, Lizzie stood up for Jane when she couldn't speak for herself. They were both fierce protectors of the other sister in their own ways. Jane had even considered giving up her ski trip to stay with Lizzie, but Lizzie assured her she'd be fine. She'd miss Jane, definitely, and it's be a bit lonely without her, but she was so changed from the sad shell of a person she'd once been that a few days without her best friend was an easy task.

So, Lizzie went back inside to start on an essay she'd put off for too long.

Three days later Lizzie was drawn out of her restful slumber at 6am by the annoyingly loud ringtone of her cellphone-"Make This Go On Forever" by Snow Patrol.

"Hul-ahem, hello?", said a groggy Lizzie.

"Lizzie? Lizzie this is Charles."

"Oh hi, Charles, um why are you calling so early?"

"Listen Lizzie, I'm so sorry to tell you this…Jane's been in an accident. She was skiing down a harder slope, and we thought she was doing fine, but she hit an icy patch, and well…she's in the hospital right now. We don't know what's wrong with her yet, but it's not life-threatening. I thought you should know, however. And I think you should come to Netherfield. She'll want to see you when she wakes up. I took the liberty of booking you a flight. "

But Lizzie had already started to pack up a bag, a worried expression furrowing her brows.

"Charles, I'll be there as soon as humanly possible. Tell her I'm coming when she wakes up."

"Thank you, Lizzie", Charles sounded relieved. They hung up.

Though her mind was racing with mental checklists of what had to be done and worry for Jane, two things stood out clearly in her mind. One, she was going to Netherfield. Two, she was most definitely going to see Will Darcy there.

**Thanks for reading. Love to get reviews, as always. Much love, Lady Tamara.**


	6. Arrival at Netherfield

**So it's finally here. I'm so so very sorry for the long wait. Things have not been good for me for the past few months, and it's been hard just to get through the day, let alone write. I've also been traveling a LOT. But I'm officially back home for a good long time and will have more time and hopefully more energy to write.**

**This chapter is a bit uneventful, but hopefully you'll like it.**

After a morning of speeding through the darkened streets of downtown London, dealing with airport security, having to make polite conversation with the elderly man seated next to her on the plane, and worrying about Jane, Lizzie was completely exhausted. The bright lights of the sanitary and modern airport gave her a bad headache, hugely intensified by the fact that she'd had a grand total of 4 hours of sleep the night before. Charles Bingley had said that someone would be there to pick her up, but her flight had gotten in early, and as the looked around the baggage claim, she saw no one yet. She leaned against a cement pillar with her small bag next to her and closed her eyes, worrying about Jane but at the same time envisioning herself far away from the crowded and noisy airport. Regardless of her valiant attempts to stay awake, Lizzie soon dozed off, exhaustion finally overtaking her.

She opened her eyes about 10 minutes later to the smell of fresh caffeinated coffee, head pounding. Looking up, she found herself staring into a pair of familiar, warm brown eyes. _Hmm…I don't know who those eyes belong to, but they look awfully sweet. What a nice dream I'm having. _Lizzie smiled in a groggy sort of way and turned her head as if to go back to sleep, when she suddenly realized where she was and that Will Darcy was her brown-eyed man, standing before her in the terminal with two cups of steaming black coffee.

"Do you always sleep standing up?", he questioned with a raised eyebrows and a bemused smile.

Lizzie stood up, crossing her arms and slipping into defensive, annoyed Lizzie mode. "Actually, it's a talent of mine. Why, do you sleep upside down? Yeah, I thought you might, given that you do everything else the wrong way." Lizzie was in no mood to be eloquent with her insults this morning, so blunt and sarcastic would have to do.

Surprisingly, Will laughed good-naturedly.

"No, I don't, but I'm glad you have such a high opinion of me. Charles is with Jane, so he sent me to get you. Oh, here, I thought you might need the caffeine after such a stressful morning." He handed her a cup of coffee.

A bit befuddled by this kind gesture, Lizzie took the coffee (black, as she liked it), and took a sip, feeling the caffeine course through her veins and temporarily energize her.

Lizzie grudgingly accepted the fact that Will Darcy had done her a favor and thanked him.

"No problem. Let's go see Jane."

As they approached the car, Lizzie noticed Will staring at her with another of his confusing, complex stares. Suddenly self-conscious, she remembered her disheveled appearance- tousled bed-hair, rumpled jeans from the day before, and the Snow Patrol concert t-shirt she'd worn to bed a mere 11 hours before. She felt briefly embarrassed by her lack of grooming before they got into the car.

There was a brief awkward silence for a few moments while Will started the engine, and both Lizzie and Will looked as though they were about to break it when Will's cellphone rang.

Lizzie tuned out his conversation, trusting that if it was important he'd tell her and proceeded to look out the window at the snow and forests passing them by. It was snowing softly, with gentle white flakes coming down in miniature flurries. Will's conversation seemed to be going on forever, so she took out her iPod, set it to Shuffle, and proceeded to worry about Jane again. On her second song, Will hung up his phone and turned to her, as she took out her earbuds.

"So? "What is it?" Lizzie demanded.

"It was Charles. Apparently Jane's gotten a lot better. No broken bones and her sprains and cuts are starting to heal up. She'll be out tomorrow or the next day, but then she needs at least three days of bed rest. You'll probably have to stay with her to fill out her papers and spend time with her."

"But she'll be alright?"

" Yes, she'll be fine."

"She's doesn't have any…scars or lasting injuries? And how is she feeling? Charles really didn't have time to tell me any details."

Will, who was frustrated with driving on the icy road and tired from a long night of listening to Charles's worries and Caroline's attempts to flirt with him, wasn't exactly in the mood to deal with Lizzie's questions.

"She's understandable shaken and a little bruised and sprained, but it was just a fall. She'll be fine. The slope wasn't all that steep, to be honest, Lizzie, Jane old enough to take care of herself. I don't know exactly why you're so worried, and I'm not even sure why Charles had you come here, except she wanted you."

"Charles wanted me to come here because Jane is my sister. Whether or not she is 25 or 5, if she's hurt, I want to be there to help her." Lizzie was indignant and quite offended. "Jane needs protection sometimes, and she needs help, just like everyone, and I intend to be there for her when she needs me. You clearly don't know what it's like to protect someone you care about."

Will muttered something under his breath. It sounded like "You have no idea", but since she hadn't caught it all, she didn't pursue it further and simply turned to stare angrily out the window, contemplating the arrogance of this man who seemed normal…even kind, one moment, and the next demonstrated his complete callousness and ignorance of politeness.

Lizzie breathed a heavy sigh, Will's reassurances having done nothing to ease Lizzie's worries, and willed the car to go faster.

After another few minutes of silence, Will seeming thoughtful, they pulled over and parked. Will told her that they were at the hospital. They were just about to enter the sliding doors when he stopped her.

"Lizzie…I really am sorry about all this." He sounded genuinely regretful. "I know you're worried about your sister, but I do honestly think she'll be fine. And Charles will thank you for coming. I know you're busy, but I think she really needs you."

Confused at this abrupt change in him again, Lizzie said, "She's my sister, Will. There was never a choice. I got the call and I came."

And they went inside the hospital, up the elevators, and into room 716.

"Lizzie, Charles has been **so** kind to me. It must be a huge inconvenience for him to have to spend his vacation here in this hospital with me, but he's been with me ever since it happened."

"Isn't it clear, Jane? He must be in love with you."

Jane laughed with Lizzie, but smiled and blushed.

"I do believe I'm beginning to love him, Lizzie…but then again, I've just known him for a few weeks. I mean, for all I know he could have a wife and kids in Bora-Bora and a career as a professional political assassin in Russia." They both laughed at the idea of sweet, shy Charles hunting down runaway politicians and murdering them in the dead of night.

Lizzie smiled. She had spent the past few hours talking with Jane, making sure she was alright, and just reassuring herself that her sister would be just fine.

"I'm sorry to give you such a scare, Lizzie", Jane said apologetically. "And thank you for coming here to be with me."

"Of course, Jane. I was worried. I'll stay as long as you want me here. But for now I'd better leave and go unpack my bag. I'm staying at the old ski cabin with the Bingley's, where you were, at the Netherfield resort. I'll see you tomorrow afternoon, when I'm allowed to visit, ok?"

"Alright. Try and rent some skis if you have time. The hills here are really great, when you're not falling into them headfirst. And Lizzie, could you tell the Bingley's once again how sorry I am to inconvenience them?"

"I don't really think Charles thinks it's an inconvenience at all…he gets to have you here for a few extra days", said Lizzie with a sly smile at Jane. "But sure, I'll tell them."

Dinner at the ski cabin that evening was an awkward affair. After unpacking her bags in the mahogany dresser of the most luxurious guest bedroom she'd ever seen, Lizzie changed into her warmest and most casual sweater and jeans, feeling entirely unsuited for the lavish décor and refined beauty of the time-shared luxury resort cabin. However, it was all she had with her, and she convinced herself that it would do. After all, she was only there to see her sister, not to put on some sort of show for wealthy people.

It took her a full 10 minutes just to find which of the dining rooms was being used, and when she got there, everyone else was already seated and waiting for her, with food growing cold on the table in front of them. Caroline Bingley shot her a nasty look as she sat down, while Charles simply smiled. Will's expression was once again unreadable.

"I'm so sorry to be late. I'm embarrassed to say that I got lost in this beautiful house," said Lizzie brightly, without a hint of embarrassment.

"Our food is cold," Caroline remarked with a sour face.

"Is it? Mmm, cold spaghetti bolognese. Delicious, don't you think? Absolutely my favorite. Did the cook prepare is especially for me?" Lizzie gave her an innocent smile.

There was an awkward silence before Charles broke in, changing the subject. The rest of dinner continued with bits of broken conversation, Caroline keeping a stony silence towards Lizzie, flirting outrageously with Will, and bossing Charles around. Lizzie inserted comments here and there whenever a particularly witty insight popped into her head. Will kept mainly silent, looking annoyed with everything. However, his annoyance might have been simply due to the number of comments on his "really hot physique", his "brilliant lectures", and his "gorgeous house". At the end of the meal, Lizzie felt only relief and was glad to be going back to her cold but stately and beautiful room when Caroline uncharacteristically suggested they all go to the sitting room for coffee.

When they were all comfortably seated by the roaring fire, Charles turned the conversation to the house. "I remember the first time we came here, when I was a little boy. I was playing hide and seek with Will. I got lost in the east wing and ended up locking myself in the abandoned drawing room, while Will, always the adventurous one, had climbed a tree in the garden and gotten himself stuck on the highest branch. Apparently he spent all afternoon shouting himself hoarse for someone to come and help him down from the tree. Finally at dusk some of the dinner guests decided to go for a stroll in the garden and found him."

The image of Will stuck in a tree was so ridiculous that Lizzie started laughing uncontrollably, Charles joining in, and Caroline tittering like some sort of insane parrot. Still chuckling, Lizzie explained. "Somehow I can't imagine the proper William Darcy, professor of Shakespeare studies and master of the study of literature stuck in a tree. Surely these two Will Darcy's are not one and the same?" Lizzie's eyes shone with mirth as Will looked up at her, startled. He was stunned into silence for a moment by her radiance. In the firelight, her dark eyes shone with mirth and her hair cascaded down her back, reflecting light in golden beams. Her head was cocked to one side, questioning him, challenging him. He thought to himself- _Who is this woman? What is about her that is so…entrancing? And what is it that she seems to dislike so much in me?_

Coming out of his reverie, he said, "Keep in mind, Lizzie, that I was 7 years old."

"It's just that I hear so many account of your character. There are so many versions of you; I hardly know how to tell who you really are. Yet I wonder if I shouldn't simply stick to my first impression."

"What, may I inquire, would that be?"

"Well, you'll have to wait to find out, won't you? I look forward to seeing if I'm right about you, Will." And with that last remark, Lizzie left the room to head through the twisting halls of the proud old house to her bedroom at its center.

**Well that's that. I promise to update soon. please review if you enjoyed this or if you hated it, and let me know what you think.**


	7. To Finish Forgetting

**Hey, world, I'm back. I'm so, so sorry for the unannounced hiatus. I haven't been able to write because I've been really, really struggling, but I'm so much better now, and I'm getting happier everyday. But I know as well as anyone how much long waits for updates suck, so I'm sorry, and you can curse me all you want in the reviews(the more colorful the words, the better). **

**This chapter is split up into different perspectives, so watch out for them. **

**(Narration)**

"-making headlines all over Europe is snowfall we had last night, unexpectedly, in the Swiss Alps. A record-breaking 14 inches of snow in one night brings the total ground coverage for the Netherfield Ski Resort in Switzerland to 8 feet. Enthusiastic skiers everywhere are rushing to buy season passes and calling in sick for long weekend trips to the ritzy old-world ski lodge. In other news, Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced today a change in the long-term-," and with a click Lizzie turned off the nasally voice of the radio announcer on her alarm clock. The time read 7:16 AM.

Charles and Will had decided the night before to ski because the hospital was closed to visitors. Charles had enthusiastically invited Lizzie along, reporting that he'd heard tales of her "amazing ski legs"(1) from Jane. So Lizzie dressed in her puffiest jacket and headed down to the giant kitchen, hoping to avoid another awkward formal meal at such an early hour. As she passed an ornate silver mirror in the hall, she paused for a second to take in her disheveled appearance, almost took lipgloss out of her pocket, but then stopped herself- _who am I trying to impress?. _With a snort of derision at her girly side she continued on her way, her socked feet padding lightly on the cold hardwood floors.

The housekeeper, a kindly older woman named Margret to whom Lizzie had taken an instant liking, was at one of the many counters of the cathedral-like kitchen making scones and croissants. It was the cook's morning off, and Margret was asked to take over.

"Oh hell," she muttered as her hand slipped and she added a bit too much salt. Lizzie remained as yet unseen and so she cleared her throat and walked into the room.

"Morning, Margret."

"Oh hello dear. The first batch of these ridiculous _pain du chocolat_ Caroline demanded I make is almost ready if you want one." She said the _pain du chocolat_ in a hilarious nasal French accent, perfectly mimicking Caroline's sour expression. "But the secret is, I really am a frightful cook. It's these eyes. Can't see a thing, dearie. Well, well, it's not like Caroline ever eats anything I cook anyway, but she needs to have something fancy provided for breakfast just to…to _show off._ Hmph."

Lizzie opened the oven and took a whiff, wrinkling her nose. "I think I'll stick to my rather more plebian fare of toast and Nutella. Thanks though, Margret."

As her toast popped out of the toaster, Lizzie heard the metallic click of a doorknob coming from the door on the other side of the room. A bleary-eyed Will Darcy staggered into the room, followed by Charlie, who sported serious bedhead. One look at either of them told Lizzie they were both severely caffeine-deprived. Margret had apparently noticed this and was quickly pouring fresh cups of coffee for both of them.

"Morning, boys. Perfect day for skiing, isn't it? There were record snowfalls here last night. Are you two ready to gear up and go? We've got a lot to do, so up and at 'em!" Lizzie knew she was being unfair, but Will looked so vulnerable and adorably sleepy that she couldn't help inserting her words with extra _"I've been up for half an hour and I've had five cups of strong coffee"_ peppiness.

In response Charlie simply groaned and Will sat down heavily on a stool, reaching for a mug. Lizzie bounced into a seat beside him.

"Aw, poor tired Willie, what's the matter now? Did Willie not sleep well last night? Is Willie afraid of storms?" She smirked to herself. This revenge thing could be fun sometimes.

However, instead of acting pissed, will simply laughed and joked, "_How_ did you guess? They're my greatest fear, absolutely. I kept on thinking last night the house would fall down on me."

A coy female voice sounded from behind them. "_Really? _You're afraid of storms? But you're so _manly._ Well, I guess every real man has a sensitive side." Caroline had snuck silently up on them and was now rubbing an uncomfortable-looking Darcy's chest. Though it was only 7:45, she looked like she'd spent two hours getting perfectly coiffed for a day of skiing. She wore all designer tight-fitting ski gear, her hair pulled elegantly back, and black cat eyeliner ringing her contact-lens-blue eyes.

"Morning, Caroline."

"Good morning, Lizzie, aren't _you _up early….oh, ohmigod, wait are you coming with us? Are you going skiing?" When Lizzie nodded, Caroline hastily hid her displeasure and her face turned into a cold mask. "Are you _sure _you're up for it? I mean you must be in shock from what happened with you sister…we don't want to tax your strength. We're just acquaintances, but you're her family."

_I cannot believe she's trying to guilt me into staying home. And I definitely don't know how she sees me as a romantic rival- she can have Darcy and any other idiot elitist she wants. I'm certainly not after him._

"Oh, that's so very sweet of you to think of me, Caroline, but there are no visiting hours at the hospital today, and I simply can't face a day alone with all my worrying about Jane and-well, _you _know how it is. I know how much you like Jane, and how worried you were when your brother's "little friend" was hurt, so you know how hard it is to worry about her. I'd much prefer to worry on a ski hill than at home alone." Lizzie's words had a double meaning that only Will seemed to notice, because of course Caroline hadn't worried for a second about Jane. Will caught her eyes in a brief smile for a second, then returned to his coffee.

"_Well, _if that's how you feel." Caroline seemed highly affronted. She slid herself between Lizzie and will and leaned her elbow on the counter, drawing herself closer to Darcy. "How are _you _this morning, Will? Ready to spend all day whizzing down mountains together? Promise you'll be my chairlift partner every time?"

Will now looked _very _uncomfortable. He gave a sort of noncommittal shrug and excused himself "to get more orange juice". William Darcy sort of ran from Caroline in the most polite and dignified way he could.

The sight of the snow-capped mountains half-cast in morning shadow was breathtaking. As Lizzie's car bumped down windy and treacherous roads, she had very little time to look at the view, but what she saw of it was glorious. Golden light fell into the valleys between the mountains, and fresh glittering ice crystals clumped enchantingly on the dark pines. The whole world seemed untouched and full of beauty and potential. Nothing could hurt Lizzie here in the mountains but the powers of nature and her own thoughts.

After informing them of her trip into town, making sure there was nothing either of them wanted ("Are you absolutely _certain_ you have all the _CosmoGirl!_ you need, Will?"), Lizzie hurriedly brushed her teeth and took off in the ugly green Netherfield rental car down ice-packed, just recently snow-cleared roads.

The town Lizzie drove into was small and picturesque, clearly a resort town, but no less idyllic and quaint for it. Tiny houses with painted and carved wooden shutters lines the cobblestone streets, snow clumping on every windowsill. They were nestled softly into a quiet corner of the snowy valley, making quite a contrast to the dramatic craggy mountain looming directly behind them. Thirty minutes later Lizzie was perusing stacks and stacks of books in a cheerfully lit and warm used-and-new bookstore. She made quick decisions, buying a few paperbacks she'd had her eye on and a beautiful old leather-bound copy of _The Odyssey. _On her way back to the car, her cell phone bleeped out its ring, sounding like a dying animal's cry. Wondering why it even worked so far up in the mountains, Lizzie answered it on instinct without glancing at the number.

"Hello?"

"Darling! How are you? I'm _so_ excited to hear about Jane-can you _imagine _the effect this will have on her little boyfriend, he's _bound _to fall in- "

"Mom"

"-Oh, it's all so exciting. You know Jane, she _never _dates one guy for long, and-"

"Mom, please. Why did you call?"

"I just wanted to see how things were going, is there something so wrong in that? How do _you _think Jane feels? And is Charles paying her attention? Oh, of course he is, what am I saying, it's _Jane_."

At this point Lizzie was frustrated with her mother's exasperating tone and idiotic matchmaker ideas.

"Jane's happy and safe, Mom, and that's' the best we can wish for. With a mother like you I'm not sure either of us will be getting any marriage proposals soon."

"Oh, Lizzie you always were such a spoilsport. Can't you see the fun in these things? Ah, to be young and in love with handsome man. Oh, and rich to boot." She giggled. "Darling, I really must go now, your sisters are beginning to pitch a fit about something or other. But someone called for you, a man…oh, I can't remember….I think it started with a W."

"You can tell him I'll call him when I get back to London, whoever it was."

"Oh, now I remember, it was Wick-ham, just like that, Wick-ham. Bye for now darling, and do keep me updated."

The phone slipped out of Lizzie's grasp and fell to the ice, splitting into two pieces.

**Two hours later**

**Will's perspective**

What had started out as a cold and beautiful morning was quickly turning into a winter storm. Dark clouds loom above, and snow pelts the faces of skiers. But down the below the chairlift I'm sitting on with Charles, Caroline, and the ever insulting Lizzie(who surprisingly is rather subdued today), people are whizzing down the mountainsides, enjoying the new snow from the night before. I'm freezing, and my toes are completely numb, but I'm desperate to get on the ski hill. To me, there's no better high than soaring over ice with the wind in my face and the mountains all around me. Charles is excited and being a great sport about the freezing temperatures, but his sister is a grumpy lump(2). All she seems capable of is incessant flirting an unwanted advances on her brother's best friend. Lizzie, down at the far side of the quad, is strangely quiet, and seems deep in thought about something.

I really don't understand her- she seems so witty and bright one moment(not to mention annoying and unnecessarily belligerent), and the next she'll be silent and mysterious. She has huge potential to destroy a conversation either way she goes. And the number of conversations with me she's managed to kill with some remark or other is uncountable-more than any other girl I've ever met.

What frustrates me most about her is that she doesn't seem to care about me at all- I'm just not used to that, given that I've grown up in a very wealthy and influential family, and wherever I go at work, college students like Lizzie seem to fall all over me. I know not everyone is going to do that, but it's almost like she hates me, or has purposely targeted me for her wit and insults. I haven't had a single conversation with her in which she talked sincerely to me, and for some unfathomable reason, I want to get to know her. I want to know more about this annoying woman just to prove to myself that I can.

I remember the first time I met her- God, she looked beautiful. She was dressed down from the rest of the crowd in a dress that appeared to be hand-sewn. She turned around to look at me when she was first introduced, and I saw her dark eyes flash like gemstones with some strange expression-shock at first, I thought, and then…remorse?

Following her was an elegant sister, and they were both being dragged over to him by the bumbling and bouncing crowd of incompetent idiots that made up her mother and sisters. What a family! All were inappropriately dressed for a fashion party, all were tipsy or drunk(except Jane and, for the first half of the evening, Lizzie). The mother leered at Charles in a most inappropriate way, and later in the evening he saw one of the younger sisters sidle up to Charles to try to get him to friek during a Mozart piece.

And then of course, Lizzie treated me with clear distaste that was completely unwarranted. The whole group was crazy, and I went home that night relieved that I'd never see them again. But then Charles started taking Jane seriously(though how serious Jane was, I really can't know), and I was dragged along, and now I keep running into Bennetts all over Europe. The only more annoying human than Mrs. Bennet on Earth is Caroline Bingley, who is now leaning over and attempting to "cuddle" with me. When will this lift get to the top of the mountain?

**(Lizzie's perspective)**

We've been skiing all day, and it's been pretty damn good snow. The blizzard is a little crazy, and the top of all the peaks are totally white-out, but I'm pretty much going crazy. I'm trying not too think about the call from my mother this morning-I'm trying to erase that with an epic day of skiing. Caroline's already gone into the lodge for some "quiet time with a cup of tea and Othello"-(um can you say S-U-C-K-U-P? That woman is desperate enough to get Darcy that she cites a book she's never read and everyone knows she knows nothing about).

Charles has turned blue(no joke, his face is a blueberry), and so he's heading into the lodge. I'm desperate to try one more run, this beautiful ungroomed mountain face, so I tell Charles and Will I'll meet them there. Will offers to go with me, and before I realize what's happening, it's been decided without my input and Charles is skiing down by himself.

Without speaking, Will and I take a fire trail over to the top of the powdery run. The storm has cleared just enough for the sun to shine through and illuminate the more gently falling snow. It's a strange sort of winter moment in this peaceful back corner of the ski resort. From here on a sunny day I know I could see for miles around me, to the Matterhorn on the far side of the valley, but right now I can only catch illuminated and golden glimpses of the vast mountains surrounding me among the clouds and snowflakes.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" I'd forgotten Will, but I turn around and there he is, a strange expression in his eyes and some sort of sad longing in his eyes, and for a moment he seems human in my eyes, for the first time I've known him.I see him for a brief glimpse as the person he must be beneath the pretensions of his family and career, and he seems lonely.

I give him no reply, instead we look at each other for a second longer, and then I turn around and push my skis over the ledge of the run. For a glorious moment I am falling fast and hard. I hit the snow after the jump and whiz down. The mountain is solid and stable beneath me, but my heart is pounding, and I am desperately afraid.

I don't know what I am afraid of.

I push myself faster and faster, and I know I am speeding dangerously out of control. At this point even my skiing form from years' of experience wouldn't save me from a deathly crash, but I can't care, because all I can feel is the snow swirling around me, pushing desperately unwanted thoughts out of my brain. The phone call, the face swimming in front of my eyes, and whatever it was that just happened with Will-I push it away from me and I fall, fall, fall down the mountain.

**(Will's perspective)**

She turned around to look at me, and then she was gone, down the hill at the speed of light. Dangerous, reckless, single-mindedly pursuing something. Idiotic. It's dangerous, but for some reason I'll don anything to protect her. I rush after her, praying I can get to her in time if she crashes.

**(Back to narration)**

At the bottom of the Lizzie slowed and stopped spraying a group of skiers waiting for the lift with fresh powder. Will was almost right beside her, looking pissed off.

"Damn it, Lizzie! What the _hell_ were you thinking, going that fast? I've never seen anyone do that run without falling, you could have killed yourself. I thought…I thought…" He struggled to catch his breath and find words.

"What, you thought I was going to crash? You thought you'd have to _save me? _I'm _not_ Caroline, I'm not one of your students, and I'm not like the girls you hang out with. I don't need saving, and I don't want your chauvinistic attitude, so fuck off. " She gave a snort and turn around to the lodge.

(1)Just in case some of you don't really get this, Charles is NOT hitting on Lizzie-he's complimenting her skiing talent.

(2)I couldn't resist. I've been waiting to call a character "grumpy lump" forever.

**Ok, so that's it. Hope you enjoyed it. I've been trying to find more ways to work in the Shakespeare , because that would add such a cool elements, not to mention a lot of Lizzie and Darcy's thoughts about each other through literature. But it's hard to do that without them just kind of randomly having a conversation about Shakespeare that sticks out from the rest of the story. I was thinking of having Lizzie drop in on one of his lectures and having her pick apart his analysis in front of his students. BUT, that could be awkward with the storyline. If you have any ideas or suggestions for this, let me know in the reviews. Once again, thanks for waiting!**


End file.
